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Terrorist Innovation: Homegrown Terrorism and the Internet, in John J Chapter 6 Terrorist Innovation: Homegrown Terrorism and the Internet Peter K. Forster 1 We face threats from homegrown terrorists – those who live in the communities they intend to attack and who are self-radicalizing, self-training, and self-executing. Robert Mueller III, Director FBI, January 20, 2010 Between September 11, 2001 and October 2009, the United States faced 32 “domestic” incidents of terrorism with thirteen of them occurring in 2009.2 At this point, it remains unclear whether 2009 represents an increasing trend or merely a spike in domestic incident. It is, however, clear that the threat of do- mestic terrorism is real. While these incidents share similarities, it is their dif- ferences that indicate multiple threats are emerging from multiple sources. Thus, it is important for the counter-terrorist professional to examine both the successful and failed attacks and understand the similarities and differences displayed by the adversary in each case. This can be a laborious process in- volving many variables. This paper seeks to launch the debate by narrowing the broader subject to one focusing on how terrorist groups innovate and more specifically, assessing how Internet-based communication is influencing the innovation process. The paper concludes that terrorist use of the Internet can be characterized as serving informational, operational, and knowledge transfer needs and that the competition for the communication battle space will con- tinue. Furthermore, it identifies some approaches to combating this effort. Terrorist use of the Internet is well developed in three relevant areas – re- cruitment, radicalization, and exploitation of events which includes not only the media coverage but the more subtle process of “peer review” that either encourage or dissuade others from using the tactic. If information transfer represents the first generation use of Internet, the second generation is knowl- edge transfer which encompasses the enhanced ease and value of the Internet’s 1 Dr. Forster is a professor at the Center for Network Centric Cognition and Informa- tion Fusion (NC2IF), College of Information Science & Technology (IST), Penn State University. 2 Bobby Ghosh, “Domestic-Terrorism Incidents Hit a Peak in 2009,” Time online, 23 De- cember 2009; www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1949329,00.html. 79 80 Peter K. Forster growing interactivity that facilitates tactical, operational, and strategic situ- ational awareness. The November 2008 Mumbai attacks epitomized the tactical use of interactive Internet-based technologies. The terrorists’ efficiency and effectiveness was enhanced through the gathering, fusion, and sharing of in- formation gathered from a variety of sources. Although in its infancy, knowl- edge transfer or learning via the Internet, as discreet from information trans- fer, is a strategic concern for those concerned with counter-terrorism. To approach this subject, it is important to understand the global context in which the integration of technology is occurring, to identify the role technology plays for terrorist groups and in the terrorism processes, and finally what this says about terrorism in the 21st century and how might it be combated. This study will limit its scope by using information from a variety of cases, primarily but not exclusively US domestic ones, to develop some assertions and possible counter-strategies. As a result of this methodology, it is not meant to be a com- prehensive study but one that offers some lessons learned and thus contributes to a broader understanding of a complex and dynamic issue. The study’s great- est contribution is to emphasize that terrorism is a dynamic issue and as a re- sult counter-terrorism also must be. Terrorists or terrorist groups continue to innovate, adapt, and redesign themselves in order to promulgate their objectives. As a result, innovation and learning evolving from what others have done, what has been successful, and what has been the response and reaction is critical. “Copy catting” in the ter- rorist world is an understood phenomenon and concern. At a more sophisti- cated level, innovation and learning by and among terrorist groups is neither new nor should it be ignored. Between 1997–2001, the IRA reportedly gener- ated between $ 20 – $ 30 million by providing training to the FARC, the PLO, and the ETA.3 The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps supplied new IED technology and training to Iraqi Shiites as recently as 2007.4 Today, a growing number of British and American Muslims are travelling to Afghanistan, Paki- stan, and Yemen to receive training from the bomb-makers, operational direc- tions from planners, and practical field experience by participating in in-thea- ter attacks. The increasing use of communication technologies has only served to increase inter-organizational and individual adaptation of successful meth- ods and innovation and promises to continue to be a key part of the terrorists’ strategy into the future. Global terrorism in 2010 is characterized by a convergence of need, interest, and means. These are being met by Internet communications that increase ac- cessibility and offer greater interactivity. Virtual communications have become the center of gravity for terrorism in the 21st century. The ultimate control and 3 Andy R. Oppenheimer, “IRA and Technology Transfer,” Presentation to RTI Interna- tional, Washington D.C., 13 March 2009. 4 Clay Wilson, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Iraq and Afghanistan: Effects and Countermeasures, Report for Congress RS22330 (United States: Congressional Re- search Service, 28 August 2007). Homegrown Terrorism and the Internet 81 manipulation of this battle space is essential to implementing an effective counter-terrorism strategy. In order to develop and implement such a strategy it is important to understand how the Internet is being used by the jihadist, where are its weaknesses and strengths, and how might it be exploited as an instrument of change. Communication is the adhesive between the individual and the group and in increasingly geographically disbursed terrorist groups is critically important.5 US successes at disrupting the activities of “al Qaeda central” in the wake of 9/11 has resulted in an increased need for engaging or permitting “affiliated groups” to extend the battle space. Al Qaeda has made good use of virtual communications to promulgate its Salafist ideology and incite individuals and organized affiliated groups to action. Certainly the message has resonated with some closely linked al Qaeda allies such as the Pakistani Taliban who report- edly provided training to Faisal Shahzad. A more geographically disbursed in- dication of increased affiliate activity is a May 2010 recording by Abu Basir Al- Wahishi, a reported leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, in which he talks about AQAP’s commitment to attacking the US and Western interests.6 While affiliates seek to act, previously unconnected individuals and groups are coalescing to either perform specific tasks such as David Headley and Tahawur Hussain Rana conspiracy to attack a Danish newspaper or pursue mutual inter- ests such as the reported connections between Hezbollah and South American drug cartels. Third, the Internet has been successfully used to recruit and fur- ther radicalize the disenfranchised. Finally, it has enhanced the exploitation of events increasing the reputation of those who move to “violent radicalization” and enhancing the conviction of the self-radicalized, such as Nidal Hasan, to take violent action. Use of the Internet as a recruitment and radicalization venue is well docu- mented. Using well designed strategies to reach target markets including multi- lingual websites and blogs, terrorist groups continue to use the Internet to dis- seminate their message and seek new adherents. Young Muslims who feel dis- enfranchised from the Western society in which they live explore the Internet for information on extremism, find like-minded individuals, and build virtual groups of radicalized individuals.7 What has increased is the recruitment of westerners or those sufficiently familiar with western culture to reduce the scrutiny by local law enforcement. However, the vast majority of radicalized individuals do not convert their words to action. Those who do, such as Na- jibullah Zazi and Shahzad, have sought additional connections beyond those 5 John Horgan, Walking Away from Terrorism: Accounts of Disengagement from Radical and Extremist Movements (Political Violence) (New York: Routledge, June 2009). 6 Targeted Actionable Monitoring Center (TAMC), Institute of Terrorism Research and Response, 17 May 2010. 7 Mitchell D. Silber and Arvin Bhatt, Radicalization in the West: The Homegrown Threat (New York, NY: The New York City Police Department, Intelligence Division, 2007), p.8, www.nypdshield.org/public/SiteFiles/documents/NYPD_Report-Radicalization_ in_the_West.pdf. 82 Peter K. Forster offered by the Internet. The predominance of “violent radicalization” processes combines the Internet with some kind of face-to-face interaction and “training” usually outside of the target country. Additionally, a review of cases indicates an increasingly important role for a “spiritual adviser” who continues to act as a mentor to the terrorist once he or she has returned to the country of the at- tack. Anwar al-Awlaki, killed by a US drone, is well known for providing such a service to Hasan and Shahzad, but Zazi received similar support from the Imam in his Queen’s mosque. Apparently,
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